Stress Intervention Programs Work
Massimo Pagani
Hypertension, February 2007
Available
online (fee)
Workplace intervention programs can significantly reduce stress on the heart, according to Italian researchers.
In their study, published in Hypertension, University of Milan researchers tested the effects of a stress-reduction intervention program for company workers who faced layoffs. The participants also included a control group of volunteers who did not work at the company and did not report work-related stress.
A baseline assessment included an electrocardiogram to evaluate the autonomic nervous system, which adjusts bodily functions in response to stress, the researchers said.
The stressed workers were invited to sign up for a weekly stress management session focusing on relaxation and coping skills, or a passive program that offered articles and monthly e-mails on stress reduction techniques, researchers said. A year later, the stress-management program induced a significant, small reduction in arterial pressure and clear changes in the stress indicators.
The researchers, headed by Senior Author Massimo Pagani, say the study provides a potential model for the assessment of work-related stress at an individual level, and suggests that stress management programs can be implemented at the worksite.